Tyco Sensormatic to lay off 320 workers in Cork

More than 320 jobs were today axed at an electronics plant in Cork.

Tyco Sensormatic said it will cease operations at its manufacturing site over the next 12 months, saving just 20 posts in its restructuring plan.

Management said that despite the great efforts of employees in Cork to lower operating costs, it was necessary to move manufacturing operations from Bishopstown to remain competitive in the global market.

The multinational firm, which makes anti-theft devices for stores and stock control systems, will move production to a cheaper base.

Don Lyman, of Tyco Safety Products, said: “We understand the impact this plan would have on affected employees and their families, and we are committed to following the employee consultation process and providing outplacement services that will lessen the disruption and make for a smooth transition.”

Last month Tyco revealed it would conduct a worldwide review of operations.

Staff in Cork were this morning called in to a meeting with bosses where they were dealt the devastating news.

The company said it will provide severance packages and outplacement services to all affected employees to assist them as they transition to new employment.

The 20 high-skilled jobs saved will be in a shared services centre, concentrating on high-level planning, external manufacturing support and financial services.

The announcement is the second jobs blow to hit the county after manufacturing company Swissco revealed 150 jobs were at risk.

Local Fine Gael senator, Jerry Buttimer, said the job losses were a nightmare.

“The electronic assembly industry in Cork, of which Tyco is a part, has been absolutely decimated in the last 12 months with the closure of Motorola in Blackrock with 330 job losses in 2007 and the closure of Hormann Electronics in Mahon with 140 job losses just last May,” he said.

“Cork has been seriously badly hit with the number of people on the Live Register increasing by more than 4,000 between March 2007 and March 2008, a jump of 28.8%.”

The party’s TD Deirdre Clune called on the Government to take steps to improve the current worsening state of Irish competitiveness which is the main cause of major job cuts.

“These job losses are more than just statistics,” said Fine Gael’s Innovation spokesperson.

“Real people are suffering the devastation of losing their job and the prospect of finding employment in a rapidly slowing economy. Real families are being left to face mortgage repayments and rising energy bills without the security of employment.”

Labour TD, Ciaran Lynch, demanded that Tanaiste Mary Coughlan set up an expert group to assist companies before they reach crisis point.

“Manufacturing plants that had become well established in towns and cities around the country are now under severe pressure and jobs are suffering as a result,” he said.

“There is little point in spending huge sums of money attracting new industries to Ireland if we find it so difficult to hang on to those that have been here for decades,” he added.

“We might have a strategy for attracting employers to Ireland, but now we need a strategy to keep them here.”